Algerian energy minister Chakib Khelil has revealed that Algeria will focus on increasing gas exportation to 85bn cubic meter by 2014.
Khelil, speaking to Algerian radio, said that his country has been primarily focused on oil production, but now it is time to move the focus to gas, with Algeria aiming to increase production by 1.8bn cubic meters per year to reach 85bn cubic meters.
“Focusing on gas production will not undermine the oil production,” assured Khelil.
Speaking about the next meeting of gas producers countries, Dr Khalil revealed that the forum aims to defend the interest of gas producers. “The Gas Exporting Countries Forum should function like OPEC in its capacity as an organisation which would defend the economic interests (of its members),” Algeria’s official news agency APS quoted Khelil as saying.
He added that gas prices today were low and called on “the member countries to reach agreement on a strategy for obtaining a fair price for gas”, the agency reported.
